Tuesday, October 22, 2013

The Indy Hunter Interview with Dirk Manning

Hi Dirk,
thanks’ for a taking the time out of what I can see is a very busy
schedule! First off, If you don’t mind, can you recap a little bit on
who Mr. Rhee is for those that were maybe slow to the show?

DIRK MANNING: It’s my pleasure, man! I’m
currently approaching the mid-point of doing 13 signing appearances in
13 weeks, but I always try to take a few minutes where I can to talk to
friends… especially if it’s about great comics! [laughs]

As for TALES OF MR. RHEE, it’s a modern
pulp noir horror comic series (or, in this case, graphic novel) about a
cryptic paranormal troubleshooter who lives in a post-Biblical
Armageddon world that refuses to consider the fact that both some humans
and monsters alike have been “left behind.”

Back when you
created Nightmare World if ever there was a character that would spin
out of those stories was Mr. Rhee that characters always?

DM: Honestly, in regards to NIGHTMARE
WORLD characters, I always thought Brian Carter, the man who meets a
Cthulhu priestess, kills his wife, goes crazy, and unleashes The Great
Old One himself (as seen in the stories “You Oughta Know,” “Mine,” and
“Eulogy” among others) would be the first one to get his own series… but
Mr. Rhee (who can be seen making a cameo appearance as the janitor in
“No One Knows”) sort of snuck past him and beat him to the punch, which
is fitting since Rhee likes to punch things. Especially monsters.
[laughs]

What is it about the character Mr. Rhee that motivates you to write him?

DM: Honestly, I think a lot of it has to
do with the fact that he’s such a damaged and tragic character who, on
top of that, finds himself in a very supernatural Kafka-esque, Orwellian
world and society where he knows he’s right, but no one else is willing
to believe him.

How has the response been from fans/readers alike in regards to Mr. Rhee?

DM: Very, very positive from everyone
who read TALES OF MR. RHEE when we originally read the series when we
posted it online for free as a follow-up to NIGHTMARE WORLD. Despite his
gruffness and many flaws, Mr. Rhee is a character that if very, very
easy to fall in love with… which makes his slow undoing throughout the
course of this first graphic novel all the more compelling and tragic.

Any common accolades that you hear often when they approach your table at the conventions and shows?

DM: Well, I would always get asked when I was going to take TALES OF MR. RHEE to print..

so I guess that’s the best compliment of all.

Mr. Rhee it
seems has been a staple of horror comics online and available on the
web, what was the catalyst that finally decided he should grace the
printed page once again?

DM: See above. [laughs]

Popular demand aside, Mr. Rhee is a
character who I really want to continue writing, and as much as I love
releasing (RHEE-leasing?) the comics online, I know there’s a good
amount of people who would enjoy reading the series that I’m not
reaching (RHEE-ching?) that way, so considering all of these factors, it
only makes sense to take it to print.

Finally, taking it to print will allow me
to include a lot of cool extras, including some new bonus background
material, a new story or two, and that amazing cover by Riley Rossmo,
who is one of my favorite artists currently working in comics!

Agreed!
Is there a risk/thrill that Mr. Rhee – as a character or a franchise –
may overtake your other horror series Nightmare World in popularity?

DM: You’re asking me to choose between my children, man! [laughs]

While I’m obviously very, very proud of
NIGHTMARE WORLD and it’s still a book I can proudly and enthusiastically
talk about and sell at shows, TALES OF MR. RHEE is a totally different
type of series (and hopefully franchise). They’re both horror series…
and astute readers will notice that Rhee pretty clearly takes place in
the NIGHTMARE WORLD “universe”… but that’s where the similarities end…

Aside from them both being great comics, of course.

Let’s talk about the Kickstarter campaign for Mr. Rhee. What’s the goal?

DM: The goal is to offer fans who
pre-order (and support) the series a really cool, completely
limited-edition hardcover copy of the book – something that, upon
getting it, will give them bragging rights forever and ever and ever.

And what can fans expect regarding some of the pledge prizes?

DM: As of right now there’s a few
script-review sessions left, a few commissions from Josh Ross left, and a
few more chances to be drawn into the book.

Will there be any other characters from the Nightmare World series going solo?

DM: Solo? Probably not. Several of them
appear in TALES OF MR. RHEE Volume 1 in supporting roles, though… and a
few of them are going to be MAJOR characters in the series as it
continues.

Back to Mr.
Rhee….after this kickstarter is done. When Mr. Rhee is in the hands of
people everywhere. What is it you’d like people to take away from the
story, from Mr. Rhee himself?

DM: I don’t want to spoil anything… but I
will say that the end of TALES OF MR. RHEE Volume 1 is very… heavy… and
it will undoubtedly leave readers pretty curious as to where things
will (or even could) go next. All I can say, though, is that there is a
long-term plan for Mr. Rhee...

A very long-term plan indeed.

To check out the kickstarter efforts of Dirk Manning, Riley Rossmo, and Mr. Rhee cruise by here:

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